Bahamians

PRONUNCIATION:
bah-HAY-mee-uhns

LOCATION:
Bahamas

POPULATION:
272,000

LANGUAGE:
English; Bahamian dialect

RELIGION:
Christianity

1 • INTRODUCTION

The Bahamas were the first islands to be sighted by Christopher Columbus
in 1492. Instead of settling the islands, the Spanish forced the native
population there into slavery on neighboring islands. Within a quarter
of a century, the Bahamas had been stripped of all their inhabitants.
However, in the seventeenth century, British colonists began to arrive
and settle there, bringing African slaves with them. By the end of the
eighteenth century, there were twice as many Africans as Europeans on
the islands.

The Bahamas remained economically backward throughout the nineteenth
century and into the twentieth. With the growth of commercial aviation,
however, the islands' tourism industry began. By the late 1940s,
tourism had become the main source of income. Today the country welcomes
over three million tourists a year, most of them from the United States.
In the 1960s, the Bahamas began to develop as a center for international
banking as well.

The Bahamas attained full national independence in 1973.

2 • LOCATION

The Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida's
southeastern coast. They form an archipelago (a group or chain of
islands) consisting of approximately 700 islands, of which about thirty
are inhabited. Their total land area is 5,380 square miles (13,934
square kilometers). This is slightly more than the combined areas of New
Jersey and Connecticut.

The two main islands of the Bahamas are New Providence, where the
capital city of Nassau is located, and Grand Bahama. The
remaining islands are generally called either the "Family
Islands" or the "out islands."

The Bahamas has an estimated population of about 272,000 people.

3 • LANGUAGE

Standard English is the official language of the Bahamas. However, most
of the population speaks an English-based dialect. An example of the
Bahamian dialect can be found in the following verse from the poem
"Islan' Life" by poet and playwright Susan J.
Wallace:

4 • FOLKLORE

The Bahamas are rich in myths and legends. There are two different
legends about a woman named Pretty Molly Bay, who is said to haunt
Little Exuma Island. In one, she is a drowned slave who roams the
beaches at night; in the other, she is a young white woman turned into a
mermaid. There are stories about creatures called
"chickcharnies." These are three-toed sprites with red
eyes. It is said that they hang upside down from trees on the island of
Andros and can turn a person's head around to face backward.

5 • RELIGION

Most Bahamians are Christian. Baptists account for about 33 percent of
the population, and Roman Catholics and Anglicans account for about 20
percent each. It is not unusual for Bahamians to attend services at
their own church and other churches also. On some of the islands,
Christian beliefs are combined with ancient African superstitions.

6 • MAJOR HOLIDAYS

Public holidays in the Bahamas include the major holy days of the
Christian calendar. Secular holidays include Labor Day (the first Friday
in June), Independence Day (July 10), Emancipation Day (the first Monday
in August), and Discovery Day (October 12).

The best-known celebration on the islands is Junkanoo, held on both
Christmas and New Year's. It is similar to the Carnival
festivities in countries like Trinidad and Tobago. Crowds of merrymakers
parade through the streets to the sounds of whistles
and goatskin drums called
goombays.
Costumed groups compete for prizes.

7 • RITES OF PASSAGE

Christian ceremonies such as baptism and confirmation mark the major
passages from one stage of life to another.

8 • RELATIONSHIPS

Race relations in the Bahamas have changed since the 1950s and 1960s.
Until then, economic opportunities for blacks were severely limited.
Black Bahamians were barred from many theaters, hotels, shops, and other
public places. Since then, government policies have improved educational
and job opportunities. The situation of black Bahamians has improved,
and a new, black middle class has been created on New Providence and
Grand Bahama.

9 • LIVING CONDITIONS

Urban living conditions on the main islands of New Providence and Grand
Bahama differ from those on the smaller Family Islands. Inhabitants of
the Family Islands have little contact with tourists and live a simple,
traditional life. Most live in villages near the shore. Their houses are
simple wooden structures, some without plumbing
or electricity. Two out of three households in the Family Islands did
not have running water in 1986.

Migration to the cities for better jobs has produced an urban housing
shortage, especially in low-income areas.

10 • FAMILY LIFE

Adult migration to the cities of Nassau and Freeport has left many
families in the Family Islands headed by grandparents. There are also
households headed by single parents. A child's primary caretaker
is also the person in charge of discipline in the family. Adult children
often give their mothers gifts or financial assistance. It is unusual
for unmarried couples to live together.

11 • CLOTHING

Bahamians wear modern Western-style clothing. Colorful costumes of all
kinds can be seen at the annual Junkanoo festivals in Nassau and other
locations.

12 • FOOD

Seafood is the most important part of the Bahamian diet. The conch
shellfish is a national favorite used in many dishes. Peas with rice, a
dietary staple, consists of dried pigeon peas and rice prepared with
thyme and other spices.
Souses
(dishes containing lightly pickled meats) also figure prominently in
Bahamian cuisine. Served with cooked grits and johnny cake (a type of
bread), they are a popular breakfast food.

13 • EDUCATION

The educational system of the Bahamas is modeled on that of Great
Britain. Grade levels in secondary education are called
"forms," and exams are required in order to attend
college. Students must also take exams at the end of every school year
in order to pass to the next grade. Education is mandatory between the
ages of five and
fourteen. However, most students continue their schooling until at
least the age of sixteen.

Recipe

Chicken Souse

Ingredients

2 chickens

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups chopped celery

10 allspice berries

4 potatoes, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 onions, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 Scotch Bonnet peppers

½ cup lime juice

Directions

Put both chickens in a large pot with enough water to cover, and
bring the water to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes.

Carefully drain off the boiling water. Add fresh water to cover the
chickens, return to stove and bring the water to boiling.

Add the vegetables and all other remaining ingredients except the
lime juice.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the lime juice and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Skim the fat from the pot with a spoon.

Remove the chicken and vegetables and serve. (May also be served
cold after refrigeration.)

The government-run College of the Bahamas opened in 1974. The Bahamas
have also been home to a branch of the University of the West Indies
since the 1960s.

14 • CULTURAL HERITAGE

Susan Wallace is the nation's best-known poet. She has also
edited
Back Home,
an anthology of Bahamian literature. Playwright Winston Saunders is the
director of the Dundas Theatre, which stages plays by Bahamian and other
authors.

Well-known artist Alton Lowe captures many aspects of Bahamian life in
his realistic paintings.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force Band performs at all major public events.
Folk dance in the Bahamas ranges from European dances to the
African-derived jump dance and the West Indian limbo.

15 • EMPLOYMENT

Tourism and related fields provide jobs for 50 percent or more of the
labor force. Agriculture and industry are much smaller contributors to
the nation's economy and employ far fewer people. Farming and
fishing are the traditional occupations on the Family Islands. Their
residents also earn money producing crafts or through seasonal
employment in resort areas. There is a shortage of salaried jobs in
these areas, and many residents move to Nassau or Freeport to seek
employment.

16 • SPORTS

Softball is the most popular sport in the Bahamas. Other favorite sports
include basketball, volleyball, and track and field. Water sports,
including sailing, windsurfing, and fishing, are popular with Bahamians
and tourists alike. Many islanders race in the Family Islands regatta,
held every April.

17 • RECREATION

In addition to the native Bahamian
goombay
(goatskin drum) music, calypso, soca, and reggae are also popular.
Gospel music is
performed in concert halls and on outdoor stages as well as in
churches.

There is approximately one television for every four persons in the
Bahamas. Programming includes American situation comedies, professional
sports, and educational broadcasting.

18 • CRAFTS AND HOBBIES

Crafts include woodcarving, quilting, basketry, and shellwork. The straw
handicrafts produced on the Family Islands are especially distinctive.
Using palm fronds braided into long strips that are then sewn together,
the island women make hats, baskets, purses, and other items, often
decorating them with raffia paper and seashells.

19 • SOCIAL PROBLEMS

The Bahamas have not traditionally had a violent society. In the past,
serious crimes such as homicide were rare. However, in the 1990s, drug
trafficking caused a major increase in crime. In New Providence the use
of crack cocaine has led to frequent armed robberies.

20 • BIBLIOGRAPHY

Boultbee, Paul G.
The Bahamas.
Santa Barbara, CA: Clio Press, 1989.

Craton, Michael, and Gail Saunders.
Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People.
Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1992.

Congratulations for the concise and full of information article. I didn't have the slightest idea of The Bahamas although I always heard about cruises going there and now in December we'll take one to know Nassau. Thank you!!

hey i just wanted to say thank you for this website i am doing a school project in oregon right now and it answered almost all of my questions the only question i have is. in the bahamas what concerns might they have in keeping their family safe. or some environmental issues. anyways thxs and love your website keep up the good work.